BRIDGETON – Convicted arsonist Steven H. Smink threw a quick smile and wink at family members before being led out of court here on Friday to start a nominal 15-year prison sentence.

It was a rare human moment in public for Smink, who was in Cumberland County Superior Court to be sentenced for masterminding the destruction of Loyle Lanes bowling alley in Vineland more than four years ago.

The crime alone was enough to make Smink an infamous name in local history. The fact that “the lanes” will not be rebuilt has made him a widely and deeply hated figure.

“Fifty years in the making — gone in one night by one selfish, destructive act by this man,” Chuck Loyle, the son of a founder and a manager at the business, told the court.

Judge Robert Malestein said the arson was a crime “motivated in some sense by a sense of desperation and the greed of the defendant.”

Smink declined to make a statement before sentencing. “I’m fine, your honor,” he said.

His family members sat among Loyle family members and friends. Court officials usually go to pains to avoid that situation.

There were no kind words from any quarter for Smink, a 51-year-old resident of Philadelphia.

Charles A. Loyle, a bowling alley founder and co-owner, said the fire put out of work not only two generations of his family but about 20 employees. Many employees were teenagers in their first jobs and the alley also employed “special needs” youths, he said.

“The biggest hurt — let me repeat that — the biggest hurt in the loss of Loyle Lanes is to the children in our area,” he added. “They will never have the experience of learning how to bowl in a nearby, family recreation center. They might never participate in the sport of bowling.”

County First Assistant Prosecutor Harold Shapiro stepped out of his usually restrained nature to tell the judge that, for purposes of sentencing, he thinks of Smink as “a great, big, giant, gutterball.”

Shapiro was put out that Smink was to be sentenced a week earlier and that he saw no signs of remorse. Smink, who was free on bail, showed up more than five hours late for his April 4 sentencing and thereby forced a postponement.

Malestein immediately jailed him to await Friday’s hearing. Smink did not give a reason for the lateness on the advice of his defense counsel, Chris Hoffner.

“I think it would be my duty and thankfully he took it,” Hoffner told Malestein about that advice.

Malestein followed the recommended sentence that was contained in the revised guilty plea agreement Smink had reached on January 24 with the prosecution.

Smink was sentenced on two counts, both of which were amended from the original charges in his indictment.

•
The first count was aggravated arson with a danger of bodily injury, which is a second-degree offense.

Malestein sentenced Smink to 10 years in prison and to serve at least 85 percent of the term before he could become eligible for possible parole. He has 45 days credit for time spent in the county jail.

If paroled, he still faces three years during which the state will monitor him.

•
The second count was conspiracy to commit arson for hire, also a second-degree offense.

The judge imposed a sentence of five years on the conspiracy charge. That term begins after his first prison term is over.

Testimony indicated Smink has a criminal record in Pennsylvania, including two convictions and a stay in a federal prison for possessing an unregistered firearm.

Smink has made many appearances in court here since his arrest about a month after the Jan. 11, 2010, crime, but always saying little and displaying no emotion.

He kept up that presence for most of Friday’s sentencing hearing, which was lengthy due to the reading of victim impact statements.

Three members of the Loyle family read statements. In addition, a video of photos of the destroyed facility was played with John Lennon’s “Imagine” as background music.

Smink at one point rolled his eyes as co-founder Charles A. Loyle spoke. Loyle was commenting on how the plot to put Loyle Lanes out of business arose out of the financial troubles of Pike Lanes Family Fun Center in Deerfield, a rival bowling center that Smink operated. The plot was intended to eliminate the only competition that Pike Alley had in the county.

“I’ve struggled with this impact statement,” Michael Loyle said. “The truth is I realize there are no words to verbalize what has done to me mentally, physically, emotionally, socially and financially. It has affected every piece of who I am.”

Michael Loyle spoke of how, immediately after the fire, many people would stop him to talk about their fond memories of the center. But the comments turned negative and angry when the family disclosed it would not rebuild, he said.

“It took a while and many more questions and confrontations, but I finally realized why everybody was so worried and upset,” he said. “My family managed the business. Oh, and our name was on the building. But Loyle Lanes belonged to the community. How dare we take that away from them?”

Michael Loyle said “evil had triumphed over good” with the decision not to rebuild. “It was in this moment that I fully realized the magnitude of what Mr. Smink had done,” he said.

The Loyle Lanes bowling alley, located off Route 47, was a social and business fixture since opening on February 10, 1960. It had underwent a $400,000 upgrade a year before the fire.

The family has said it is not being rebuilt because the $4 million insurance coverage, minus fees and cost, did not come close to meeting modern day building costs.

Two men that Smink hired to do the actual arson previously entered plea agreements. Both were ready, and required under their agreements, to testify that Smink hired them.

Smink’s guilty plea to avoid trial came after a jury had been seated. Hoffner was the third attorney to represent Smink, coming in about a year ago.

Three other charges from the indictment were dismissed as part of his plea bargain. The prosecution offered a 25-year prison term in return for a guilty plea at one point.

The state isn’t quite through with Smink. The matter of claims for restitution will remain open, and Smink faces one claim for about $50,230.62 from an insurance company.

Smink has 45 days from Friday to file a notice of appeal of his conviction or his sentence.